Concept featured in film:Animal growth and development

Play Flickclip Here (Quicktime)

Summary of clip: While Billy Crystal and Jack Palance are herding the cattle, they must help a mother give birth to a baby calf. Unfortunately, there are complications during the birth and the mother has to be shot. (Obviously use discretion if the shooting of the mother would be disturbing to your students).

Connection of flickclip to the concept: This clip can be an effective way to start off a unit on animal growth and development. A discussion about how the calf developed and how birth actually occurs can take place. THe development of humns and other organisms could be compared and contrasted.   

1. Suggested questions for students when viewing the clip:

a. How is this birth similar or different to what humans have to go through?

b. What problems can arise during childbirth for all animals?

 

2. For a possible assessment after a unit on embryonic development, you can show the clip and then have students describe how the calf must have developed through the various stages. Students can compare this to human development.

 

3. This clip can be used as an introduction to an activity where students research the development of a wide variety of organisms in terms of structure and function. They then can compare their organism to the cow.